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Community News

Tyler McNamer, a high school student in Seattle, Washington, is working towards publishing his book Population One: Autism, Adversity and the Will to Succeed. Learn more and support his Kickstarter project.

Aloha Toronto: SUP Challenge | Surfers Healing Camp | Full Day Beach Party. August 24th and 25th, 2013. Registration now open!

Today is Pink Shirt Day. Penny Schreiner, Swift Current Online, February 27, 2013. Research shows that one in every 88 children has autism, and many of those children suffer bullying throughout their lives because of that condition.

Autism Calgary Launches 'With Precision' Employment Project. Robson Fletcher, Metro Calgary, January 18, 2013: Connecting autistic people with Calgary employers looking to fill jobs that demand repetition and attention to detail is the goal of a new project in Calgary.

Support Puzzlathon for Autism on Indiegogo: A racing puzzle iPhone game supporting Autism, and two other causes chosen by backers.

New Book — Asperger Syndrome in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide for Clinicians, Kevin Stoddart et al., (WW Norton 2012). A thorough overview of Asperger syndrome for mental health professionals. Interest in Asperger syndrome is on the rise, but until recently it has been examined almost exclusively in children and adolescents. In this book, three leading researchers summarise the relevant issues in adults, including diagnosis, co-morbid psychiatric conditions, psychosocial issues, and appropriate interventions, from psychotherapy to psychopharmacology.

Ontario Adults Autism Research and Support Network (OAARSN) Call to Action: Please Speak Up for Special Services at Home... and other forms of direct funding in Ontario [PDF].

Adults Count! A survey on Youth and Adults with ASDs in Ontario.

Individuals may express their interest in the survey by emailing us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . All surveys can be completed on-line unless a paper version is requested. The information gathered will be used to understand the needs of adults living with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Ontario. The survey can be completed by:

(1) An individual 16 years old or older who has been diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder by a professional; OR

(2) A family member (e.g., sibling, parent) who is knowledgeable about the needs of a specific individual, 16 years old or older, diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder; OR

(3) A professional (e.g., group home worker, Adult Protective Service Worker, therapist) who is knowledgeable about the needs of a specific individual, 16 years old or older, diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

– Kevin Stoddart, The Redpath Centre for Social and Emotional Development

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Adult/Youth News

Autistic Teen May be Smarter than Einstein. Nadine Kalinauskas, Good News, Yahoo Canada, May 13, 2013: Jacob Barnett, 14, is studying for a Master's degree in quantum physics ... What makes this story most remarkable is that his parents were told he'd never be able to read.

Here's an Autism Statistic: Family. Jane Wood, Globe and Mail, May 10, 2013: What will become of our autistic children, who will surely age but never grow up?

The New Definition of Autism: Trying to Make Sense of a Confusing World. CBC News, May 1, 2013: When a rewrite of psychiatry's diagnostic guide is released in San Francisco later this month, it will include a revised definition of autism, expanding it into a full spectrum disorder that can range from mild to heartbreakingly severe.

Parents of Autistic Adult Son not Alone in their Desperation, say Advocates. Angela Mulholland, CTVNews.ca, May 1, 2013: The troubling story of an Ottawa couple who felt so overwhelmed caring for their adult autistic son that they decided to drop him off at a government office is not unique, say many who work with adults with developmental disabilities.

Autism's New Frontierss, Part 3: Falling Between the Cracks. Pauline Tam, Ottawa Citizen, February 18, 2013: With her mother and younger sister as her guardian angels, Elena Grabari, 41, lived semi-independently for many years before learning, at age 34, that she had Asperger syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism.

Special Series, Autism's New Frontiers: Autism certainly involves the brain, but researchers increasingly believe it is actually a collection of problems that affects the whole body, the accumulation of seemingly minor events that start in the womb. Pauline Tam, Ottawa Citizen, February 17, 2013.

Scientists Slowly Start to Unravel Complex Factors Behind Autism. Pauline Tam, Postmedia News, February 16, 2013: Even with a diagnosis of autism, Mica Jovanovic remains a medical mystery to experts who treat and study his condition. And as autism has emerged as the fastest growing developmental disability, stirring fears of an epidemic, researchers are racing to figure out what causes the condition and why it appears to be affecting so many more children.

New Book: The Aspie Girl's Guide to Being Safe with Men: The Unwritten Safety Rules No-one is Telling You, Debi Brown (Jessica Kingsley Publishers). Aspie girls and women are incredibly vulnerable to having bad sexual experiences with men, whether or not they are interested in pursuing dating and sexual relationships. This may be partly because, as teenagers, Aspie girls are often not part of the social groups where their non-spectrum peers learn the 'rules' that are vital to their physical and emotional safety in society. Debi Brown has written this important book to fill the resulting knowledge gap - how to interact safely with men - to help other Aspie girls and women avoid common pitfalls and potentially dangerous situations.

Make Room in the Workplace for People with Autism. Anna Maria Tremonti, The Current, CBC Radio, January 17, 2013. According to Autism Society Canada, 200-thousand Canadians are living with an autism spectrum disorder. Some show quite severe symptoms, others hardly any at all. But the chances are you haven't met any of them at work. It's not because they can't handle the work -- often it's because they can't handle job interviews -- or the noise of the workplace.

More Programs Needed for Autistic Adults: Parent. Jessica Cunha, YourOttawaRegion.com, October 28, 2012: One Kanata woman has started a day program for teenagers and adults with developmental delays, but she says more are needed for those with autism.

Autism Definition to be Enlarged as Asperger's Diagnosis Disappears. Tanya Talaga, thestar.com, October 3, 2012: Early next year, a new definition of autism will be used by scientists in order to more precisely diagnose kids with the brain disorder.

Anthony At Your Service Delivers In Edmonton, Challenges Preconceived Notions Of Autism. HuffPost Alberta, August 20, 2012: It's a YouTube video meant to announce the launch of a new delivery service in Edmonton. But in reality, Meet Anthony is a means of introducing the value of one man to the community he belongs to.

Dean Aviram, a thirteen-year-old with Asperger's says what he thinks [YouTube]! June 27, 2012.

A Survey on Quality of Life, Self-Efficacy, and Social Relationships | California State University, Dominguez Hills. As part of the second half of an award winning research project exploring how adults with autism experience romantic relationships, we are now collecting data about how their life experiences and sense of self-efficacy affect their quality of life. Participate in the online survey. If you have any questions about this study or your rights as a participant, you may call the investigator Marianne Lacoste at 310-936-2326, or the Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects at CSUDH, 310-243-3756.

Autism Advocacy News

Autism Experts Should Always Include Parents, Advocates Say. Andrea Gordon, thestar.com, October 25, 2012: He spoke quietly. But amid a sea of autism researchers and professionals, the words of a father rang out Thursday at a major Toronto conference.

Ottawa to Fund $1 Million in Autism Research. The Canadian Press, CBC News, March 27, 2012: The federal government announced March 27 that it will help fund research into a developmental neurological condition that affects thousands of Canadian children.

News from Ontario Autism Coalition

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Other Autism News

Autism in the Family: Caring and Coping Together, Robert A. Naseef (Brookes Publishing 2013). How can parents provide the best support for their child with autism—andensure that the whole family's needs are met? It's a question faced by every parent of a child on the autism spectrum, and this book answers it with keen insight, reassuring honesty, and practical guidance. A psychologist and father of an adult son with autism, Dr. Robert Naseef has both personal and professional expertise to share with overwhelmed families.

Autism in the Family: Getting the Big Picture. Robert Naseef, PhD, blog post on Autism Speaks, February 1, 2013.

Autistic Boy's Doctor Mad Science Videos Garner 4 Million Hits. Wendy Gillis, thestar.com, February 15, 2013: Jordan Hilkowitz used to yell and throw tantrums, bang his head on the tile and fling his shoes across the room. Diagnosed with autism, he did not speak until he was 5.

Child who doesn't Speak Waits 1 1/2 Years for Therapy. Kathy Tomlinson, CBC News, January 14, 2013: The parents of a four-year old autistic boy who hasn't spoken a word are going public about waiting 2½ “incredibly frustrating” years to get him into speech therapy.

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